Key Takeaways:
India's cybercrime agency ordered GitHub to remove Jack Dorsey's Bitcoin-linked messaging app Bitchat, as protesters used mesh networking to bypass internet shutdowns during CJP demonstrations in Delhi.
India's Cyber Crime Coordination Centre ordered GitHub to remove three repositories for Bitchat, Jack Dorsey's offline messaging app, citing national security concerns as Delhi protesters used mesh tools to evade internet shutdowns.
"The architecture of Bitchat significantly impedes lawful interception, attribution, and investigation by law enforcement agencies," the notice issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act said, according to a copy reviewed by CoinDesk.
The order gave Microsoft-owned GitHub three hours to disable access to the repositories. Bitchat, released as open-source software in July 2025, relays encrypted messages and Bitcoin transactions between phones over Bluetooth mesh networks, requiring no internet connection, cellular service, or user registration.
The takedown targets a tool that directly undermines the government's ability to enforce internet blackouts — a tactic deployed repeatedly around Jantar Mantar since July 20, when student protesters under the "Cockroach Janta Party" banner began rallying against a national exam scandal. With the code open-source and likely mirrored across multiple hosts, the practical effect of the order may be limited, but the regulatory signal is unambiguous.
Dorsey, who built Bitchat through his permissionless technology initiative, confirmed the government action on X. "The government of India does not like technologies like bitchat and wants it taken down," he wrote, attaching a screenshot of the notice.
The Internet Freedom Foundation condemned the order as "unconstitutional and authoritarian," saying it violated principles of open-source software distribution. The group noted that the notice targeted code repositories, not just the app itself, setting a precedent for government reach into software infrastructure.
Bitchat's Design and the Bitcoin Connection
Bitchat's architecture is built to function during blackouts, disasters, or state-imposed shutdowns. Messages hop from phone to phone via Bluetooth mesh until they reach a device with connectivity, which then broadcasts them to the network. The same mechanism applies to Bitcoin transactions — users can broadcast payments offline, passing them through the mesh until a connected node relays them on-chain.
This design, which bitcoin advocates describe as permissionless money, is now being tested against a government actively trying to switch it off. The Indian government has ordered repeated internet suspensions around the protest sites in New Delhi since July 20, and researchers have documented demonstrators turning to Bluetooth mesh apps — Bitchat among them — to keep coordinating once the connection drops.
A History of Platform Takedowns in India
This is not the first confrontation between a Dorsey-linked platform and Indian authorities. In 2022, Twitter challenged 39 government blocking orders tied largely to the 2021 farmers' protest in the Karnataka High Court, arguing the orders lacked proper reasoning and exceeded statutory authority. The court dismissed the petition in June 2023, imposed a Rs 50 lakh fine, and ruled that blocking entire accounts was lawful.
Whether GitHub or Dorsey will mount a legal challenge this time remains unclear. Non-compliance with IT Act orders carries potential criminal penalties, including prison terms of as long as seven years. The app remained available on Apple's App Store and Google Play as of Friday, leaving its status across platforms unsettled.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
